


Perks of Being an Antichrist

by hexsigns, signifying_nothing



Category: VIXX, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Biting, Blood Drinking, Don't worry he gets better, Fantasy AU, Hardcore, M/M, Magic, Sex Magic, Vampire!Sanghyuk, momentary character death, part of a larger au, witch!jeongguk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-04-21 17:02:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22096672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hexsigns/pseuds/hexsigns, https://archiveofourown.org/users/signifying_nothing/pseuds/signifying_nothing
Summary: After the second time he'd been propositioned to fuck a complete stranger, and the third time someone asked him what he was supposed to be (he wasobviouslydressed as a Supreme, with his wide-brimmed hat, tight black clothes and beautiful black scarf draped appealingly over his shoulders and chest, his silver jewelry and iron cuffs, his warm, smoky makeup, goddess,heathens,and not even the good kind!) he made his way out.jeon jeongguk goes to a halloween party, and meets a vampire on his way home.
Relationships: Han Sanghyuk | Hyuk/Jeon Jungkook
Comments: 7
Kudos: 55





	Perks of Being an Antichrist

**Author's Note:**

> this is a co-authored work with hexsigns! we love these brats.  
this takes part in a larger universe, as you can see from the tags. don't let any unanswered questions stop you from enjoying the moments we've chosen to show you ;]

Jeongguk had never been _social, _per se, but he'd always tried to put in an effort. He at least had to be able to say that he'd _tried, _so he'd come to this stupid Halloween party with Jimin, even though Jimin got lost on some dude's dick practically the second they walked in, and he'd tried to stay, even though everyone who talked to him was drunk and he didn't like drunks, and he didn't like noise, and he didn't like... _Any _of this. 

After the second time he'd been propositioned to fuck a complete stranger, and the third time someone asked him what he was supposed to be (he was _obviously _dressed as a Supreme, with his wide-brimmed hat, tight black clothes and beautiful black scarf draped appealingly over his shoulders and chest, his silver jewelry and iron cuffs, his warm, smoky makeup, god, _heathens, _and not even the good kind!) he made his way out. 

It was cooler outside, and he took in a breath of fresh air and sighed it out. He could do home and drink framboise if he wanted to, without having to deal with any of this. He could convene quietly with his gods on the back porch, leave his offering for the Goddess and the Horned King as he did every Saints Day, without having to deal with _any of this. _

Fuck Jimin, honestly. 

Making a mental note to tell his best friend off in the morning, Jeongguk wrapped his big scarf a little tighter around his body and started the walk home. His boots, at least, looked cute in the streetlights--holographic patent leather, black and rainbowed with their rainbow laces. He looked _cute, _damn it. What, did he have to be some kind of stud because he was tall? Could he not be considered _pretty _because he was six feet high? (a little more than that, with his boots on, but _regardless._) 

He was a cute, gay, witchy boy. It shouldn't be this hard to find someone to make out with on Halloween, damn it all. Just because he didn't ooze the kind of overt sexual appeal Jimin had, just because he wasn't small and delicate like Yoongi, didn't have Namjoon's raw _potential. _

He ignored everything in his mind—every horrible, toxic little voice that was telling him he wasn't trying hard enough—and started his walk back to his tiny little mother-in-law apartment on Jimin's property. it was only ten blocks, and it wasn't below freezing. He'd make it.

Not too far away, Sanghyuk rolled his eyes as he shoved one of his drunk friends into the back of a Lyft, "Go hydrate, _both_ of you." He rolled his eyes good naturedly, eyes nearly glowing gold in the darkness. Jaehwan and Wonsik were too much when they were together, they always had been. "And then sleep, for god's sake." He closed the door after making sure they were both buckled in, and he straightened up to his full (towering height), waved after the car. He smoothed down his best, fussed briefly with the cuffs of his shirt, dressed mostly like he would have been before being turned, so long ago. He'd just added smoky eyeshadow to bring emphasis to his eyes, metallic without a glamour that a ring from his warlock friend provided. Taekwoon didn't come out to celebrate on Halloween, but he'd never been much of a party-goer.

He glanced across the street, and a form clad all in black with a wide-brimmed had caught his attention- as did the ghostly form trailing along after him. He darted across the street to fall into step next to the willowy form, thumbs hooked into the pockets of his tailored slacks. "Something's following you," he said under his breath, though he smiled. There were a lot of things that didn't necessarily want to tangle with a vampire, especially on an important evening such as that one. 

Jeongguk stiffened in alarm the second he felt something physically _real _practically manifest beside him. It had appeared so quickly, and it felt—it felt like—

Something _was _following him. 

Jeongguk didn't stop. He didn't even look to the side to take in what his savior looked like. Now that he was aware of it, he could feel the thing behind him, creeping, creeping. But every witch worth their salt knew better than to turn around and face a thing they weren't sure about. There were less painful—less stupid—ways to die. 

"I can see that," Jeongguk replied, voice sharp, but not snippy. He sounded anxious. Distressed. He was in fact both of those things. He just wanted to go home and be sad by himself on the back porch with a cup of tea. "Don't know what you're going to do about it, though?" He tried to sound casual, or at least not let his voice break like he was some kind of teenager. He had a wand on his person, he could protect himself if he needed to. He was wearing iron cuffs, so it wasn't as though a fae creature could carry him off unless he _really _messed up a conversation. He was wearing silver earrings and necklaces to protect him from other sprites and malicious things, so whatever was following him was either very powerful or none of those things and he wasn't sure which was worse. 

Jeongguk felt his eyes well up and fought down his distress and stupid, stupid tears. He was just upset. He was just upset and this was the icing on the cake after feeling dejected and disappointed and abandoned all night and he just wanted to go _home._

"Thought I could keep you company, at least," Sanghyuk murmured. The spirit wasn't getting any closer at least, though it was definitely not a kind one. Those didn't lurk around corners to wait for a suitable target to pass by. "I'm going to put my arm over your shoulders, okay?" He glanced sidelong at the- witch, he could tell from the crackle of magic in the air around the young man, and he slid his tongue over his teeth, willed his fangs to behave.

"...Yes," Jeongguk replied, still looking forward, staring at the road ahead of him but not really seeing it. He was trying to figure out if he'd just done something to guarantee his death, but honestly the feeling of an arm over his shoulders--the voice of a man, a tall man, at his side, was more of a comfort than it should have been, maybe. Even if he was in danger it was... Well. It was nice to be the protected one, once in a while. 

He shivered in his scarf, pulled it in tighter to his body to hug in his warmth and tried not to hunch his shoulders. He wasn't a little kid. He was a grown up, an adult witch. Adult witches did not hide in their scarves and cry because they'd had a rough day, damn it all. 

Sanghyuk did just that, settled one strong arm carefully around the witch's shoulders. "I like your costume. You're a Supreme, right?" he wondered aloud, the spirit behind them shrinking back all the more. Thank the gods.

Jeongguk _almost _stopped. He _almost _looked. 

"Yes," he said, trying not to sound surprised. "You're the first person all night to know. Which makes sense, I guess. You are a vampire after all. I'm sure you know what the head of a coven looks like." Shit. _Shit, _ he hadn't meant to sound like that, fucking... _Rude. _Shit. Of course a vampire knew what the head of a coven looked like, vampires and witches had been working in close quarters for centuries and the weight to the arm around him, the chill of the skin that lingered despite any recent blood intake but still—

"I'm sorry," he said, clenching his fingers in his scarf, embarrassed. "That was rude of me. I apologize."

Sanghyuk bit back a laugh, though a little bit of a snicker did escape him. "One of my good friends is the head of a coven, so. You aren't wrong." He gave the witch's shoulders a little squeeze. "It's alright."

"In this area?" Jeongguk asked, unable to stop himself. They were close to his home now, his little apartment, the "mother in law" apartment on the backside of a very nice house. His front door faced a treeline, his bed was in the loft, it had a full kitchen and big windows and... and it was his. Protected, belonging to him alone, despite the fact that Jimin's family owned the house. Well. _Jimin _owned it, now. One should never make deals with demi-demons, especially when those demi-demons cheat. Or are Park Jimin. 

"...Jung Taekwoon?" Jeongguk hazarded, still struggling not to look beside himself. He'd _heard _of Taekwoon, of course. Most witches his age had.

Sanghyuk was unsurprised that the witch knew Taekwoon's name, and he hummed out an affirmative. It was difficult for a witch in their half of the country to not at least have heart whispers of the man's name, his power; few knew his tragic story and how he was still searching for the man he loved, unwilling to give up even if it had been centuries. Sanghyuk helped where he could, was decent enough at intel.

"That's the one," he said a moment later, and he glanced up to the house they'd stopped in front of, the spirit having decided to look elsewhere for the evening. He hoped. He was still likely to lurk nearby until close to sunrise. Just in case. "Is this home?"

"Not quite," Jeongguk said, quietly moving off to the right to go around the back of the house. The mother-in-law was separated from the main house by a glass walkway, but he didn't like to go in the front door. He had his own entrance, he didn't need to be barging in on whatever Jimin was doing which was guaranteed to be sexual, disgusting, illegal, or some mix of all three, assuming he was home. "This one, actually. Do..." he hesitated, swallowed, gathered his courage. "Would you like to come in?" And he turned to look. 

And oh. _Oh, _he wished he hadn't. Or wished he had, sooner. 

The vampire was just as tall as he was, if not taller. He had dark, dark hair and warm eyes, a beautiful face with bone structure to kill for. His clothing was antiquated but clean and comfortable looking; he looked almost as human as Jeongguk, save for the pallor of his skin and the way Jeongguk could see the magic shimmering at the edges of his being. Everything in Jeongguk was screaming at him to either run, or kiss, or both, or... Just, screaming for him to _do something, _but he was so off-guard that he couldn't do anything but look in quiet awe, breath caught up in his throat. 

Sanghyuk's face shifted into an expression of mild surprise at the question, though a warm smile curled at his mouth, the center of his lips a touch darker than the rest, a sign he'd been drinking blood wine over the course of the evening just to get a bit of a taste of something he'd didn't often indulge in.

"Are you sure?" he asked, the young man's aura very clearly conflicted. 

Jeongguk's entire face turned a very fetching shade of pink. As did his neck. And his ears. He fought down the urge to shriek in embarrassment and nodded, because... Well, if all else failed and the vampire really _was _going to kill him, at least he'd die inside his home, so he could haunt it properly. Besides it wasn't as though he'd made any other bad decisions that evening, aside from going to the party with Jimin. 

"I'm sure," he said, nodding despite his terrible blush. "Please," he unlocked the door with a wave of his hand. "Come in." 

The entire first floor was visible from the door, and it was very obviously magical. The entire place thrummed with Jeongguk's energy, his anxious, excited, eager joy and his deep, quiet meditative habits. It was full of succulents, strings of enchanted faerie lights that dimmed in accordance with his wishes as he stepped inside. The color scheme was simple, white and the lightest pastels, with touches of black. There was a spidercat on a plush pillow on a highback armchair—six-legged, two-tailed, eight-eyed, it blinked at the sight of Jeongguk coming in the door and immediately turned over to go back to sleep. 

"Nice to see you too, Gwen," Jeongguk said, stepping inside and starting to bend before realizing that his guest might be coming in after him—so he sat on the edge of the sunken foyer and reached to unlace his boots. 

Sanghyuk hummed quietly as he stepped inside the home behind the witch, looked around before he bent to unzip his own boots, stepped out of them and nudged them off to one side. It was only then that he stepped up onto the main floor, smile on his lips nearly cat-like as he took everything in.  
"She's cute," he said of the spidercat. And the witch had been quite pretty when his face had gone so pink.

"She hates me," Jeongguk replied, hanging up his hat and shaking out his hair. It fell into his eyes in black strands he had to push back with one hand. "Would you like anything? I think I might have a bottle of bloodwine here somewhere, or—or I guess I could make some?" He looked over at his guest. "I'm Jeongguk, by the way. Jeon Jeongguk."

Jeon Jeongguk. Only one of the most talented witches to come out of Korea in years. He was _supposed _to be training in a coven, but had found the rules and lack of compassion for others disturbing to the point of withdrawing before the final ceremonies could trap him. It was a big deal, a witch backing out of a coven. Even if it was only because Jeongguk had Standards for how people—human or otherwise—were treated, and none of them were being met by the coven that had wanted him. Several had wanted him, actually; but he'd fallen in with Namjoon and his group of friends almost as if by serendipity. He fit with them. They worked well together. They weren't an official coven, but they didn't have to be, in Jeongguk's opinion. 

"I'm Sanghyuk," he responded bowing his head a bit. He'd heard of Jeongguk before, of course- concern from Taekwoon, though the warlock was unable to do much other than extend an open-door policy to the young witch. Sanghyuk's life had been... mostly uneventful, having fallen in with Taekwoon shortly after being turned, kept sated by the occasional immortal, but usually bloodwine. Or those that had wronged their group.

"You don't need to make bloodwine for me." He could already tell, just from being in Jeongguk's space, that even bloodwine made by the young man would be potentially addicting. "But thank you for offering."

"Are you sure?" Anyone else might have been teasing, but Jeongguk was nothing if not sincere. He didn't seem capable of falsehoods. "It's not a chore or anything. I don't mind." 

Jeongguk didn't know much about vampires beyond what he'd been told by his companions. While Namjoon was an encyclopedia of information, he wasn't really informed on a lot of what he knew, especially in the cases of manners and etiquette--those were things one had to learn by experience. 

(Jeongguk was also Very Distracted by the way the vampire—Sanghyuk—looked in his home. Like he fit there. Like he was supposed to be there, in the faerie lights and succulents and pale shades of color.)

Sanghyuk was still taking things in- his own room, at Taekwoon's place, of course- was nearly spartan. It was nice, to see someone's palce reflect who they were so completely. He trailed one hand along the back of the sofa, looked to Jeongguk over his shoulder.

"If you insist."

Oh, it was a bad idea.

(probably.)

Jeongguk went about finding a bottle of red wine—he offered it for approval before taking it to the sink. he found a knife—not silver, steel—and, after pouring half the wine into a larger bottle, cut a slit in one wrist about three inches long and bled into the steel funnel, mixing it with the wine in slow turns. He knew the basics, of course, and he was very careful with both his actions and the spell. He pressed an oak leaf against the wound, bound it into place and re-stoppered the bottle to turn it upside down, right side up, upside down, very slowly—mixing everything together. 

When he poured the liquid into a small glass, it had turned a deep berry color, almost black. 

The more powerful the witch, the darker the brew became. 

He offered the glass to Sanghyuk, pouring himself a glass of lemonade for the sugar. 

_Gods_, the scent of Jeongguk's blood when he cut his wrist to make the bloodwine nearly did Sanghyuk in. He bit hard at the inside of his cheek to keep from moaning outright, instead leaned against the back of the couch and watched the process happen.

"Thank you," he said, voice almost thick as he accepted the glass. He took a small sip, It had been freshly made, but it _tasted_ warm, like small white flowers under a sunset in late autumn, and lush green plants. And it was _potent_, the first sip alone enough to bring a relatively... alive flush to his cheeks.

"You're welcome," Jeongguk said, flushing that pretty pink again, sipping at his lemonade and watching in fascination as Sanghyuk's skin turned rosy and warm-looking. Wow. He'd looked good before--he looked better then, looking like he'd just come inside after a long day of sledding or skating, full of cocoa and ready for a nap. 

(or maybe Jeongguk was projecting.)

The two of them had a quiet, pleasant evening. Jeongguk insisted that Sanghyuk take the bottle of wine with him (_I don't need it, it's not like I really entertain many people_) and also insisted that they exchange numbers (_What if I get trailed by another monster again, hyung? What if I need you to rescue me?_) Jeongguk was guileless and sweet and honestly interested in what Sanghyuk had to say—a rare combination. He very earnestly wanted to know him better, wanted to talk to him more, wanted...

(_You can come by anytime, hyung, it's not like I really do too much. But don't go in the front door. Jimin does a lot of things he shouldn't and he does them everywhere, and you don't want to walk in on him doing some of the things I've walked in on him doing. I promise you._)

Jeongguk was still in a Gay Panic over it a few days later, as he laid his late offerings to his Gods and apologized for his negligence, though he only got the feeling he was being poked fun at, or encouraged, though he wasn't sure why. Jimin had been _insufferable—_of course he'd been able to detect that there had been a vampire and that there had been blood, but it had taken a lot more explanation than Jeongguk had expected to make Jimin calm down enough not to go tearing through the city looking for Jeongguk's guest. For someone who could be such a dick, he sure was protective. 

A few days later, Sanghyuk messaged Jeongguk, having been rationing that bottle of bloodwine. Taekwoon had squinted at him but had mostly left him alone.

_Want to watch the meteor shower later?_ he asked, taking small sips from a wine glass. 

_I'd love to! Do you want me to make another bottle of wine?_

Jeongguk was trying very hard not to be giddy about the entire thing. That was difficult. Something about Sanghyuk just made him feel _good, _like... Like he could just sit and talk with him forever. It wasn't that the two of them had too much in common, but Jeongguk was genuinely interested in him, and Sanghyuk... Seemed to be the same. Namjoon had cautioned Jeongguk over breakfast that morning, of course—_be careful, don't do anything foolish—_but Jeongguk had already allowed Sanghyuk into his house so if he had bad intentions, it was technically too late. He could rescind the invitation, but he didn't want to. 

He got ready for their (date) outing, dressing in comfortable blue jeans and a baggy white button-up with a form-fitted tank beneath it, a beanie and his boots. He didn't _dress up _for Sanghyuk, per se, but he definitely... Spruced up a little. Made sure his hair was soft and shiny, his skin clean and his lips balmed. 

"You're such a faggot," Jimin teased from the hallway. 

"Leave me alone," Jeongguk blushed, holding his tote bag over one shoulder. "He's sweet."

"He's a vampire."

"What's your point? You're a demi-demon."

"Fair." Jimin shrugged. "Just. Be careful, okay?"

"Yes mom," Jeongguk rolled his eyes and walked out of the house, double-checking the location on his phone before heading there. 

Sanghyuk said that the wine wasn't necessary, but he certainly wouldn't be upset if Jeongguk brought more. He was waiting at the west entrance of the park, a warm blanket folded over one arm. And he was wearing dark jeans and a long, soft sweater, a ring on his middle finger that made his eyes appear to be a warm, rich brown. His hair was unstyled, nearly hanging in his eyes. 

But his whole face brightened when he caught sight of his- was it a date? He certainly wanted it to be, but he also knew he needed to be careful. 

"Hey. You look nice," he said with a smile.

Jeongguk smiled, feeling foolish. "You do too," he replied, following Sanghyuk to the little area of grass where they were going to watch the sky. He tugged on the sleeves of his over-large cardigan, pulling them back so he could actually use his hands as he sat down. "I've never been up here before. I don't really go out too much." 

He'd never been the going out type, to be fair. He'd always been up to his neck in books, experiments, activities he wanted to try. Going out was something Jimin had taught him, and it wasn't always something he enjoyed. 

Sanghyuk settled down next to him, spread his long legs out and gazed up at the sky for a moment, then smiled over at Jeongguk. "You sound like Taekwoon hyung."

"Because I don't go out much?" Jeongguk asked, looking at Sanghyuk curiously. "Does gyosunim not go out much?" Gyosunim. _Professor, _he called Taekwoon, because that was... What he was. 

"It's like pulling teeth," Sanghyuk said as he laid down, clasped his hands together behind his neck. "But he has his reasons. And I'm sure you do, too." He hummed. 

"I just..." Jeongguk shrugged. "I don't fit in, really. Lots of people still think it's weird that I'm a witch, you know? And I mean... I'm not good with people. Crowds, surprises, loud noises. None of that. I only go out with my friends, and they're just as weird as me."

He turned to look down at Sanghyuk, smiling sweetly, pushing his bangs out of his eyes. "And you. But I mean, you're weird too, probably, so it's not like I'm changing my habits."

"Probably." Sanghyuk chuckled, stretched out one arm and motioned for the young man to use him as a pillow- the meteor shower was going to be directly overhead, visible even with the light pollution from downtown.

Blushing a little (a lot) Jeongguk laid down with Sanghyuk, head tucked into the curve of his arm and chest. He fought the urge to turn onto his side or stomach and face Sanghyuk—that was too much, too gay for a first hangout (date.) Even though he desperately wanted to see Sanghyuk's jawline and the curve of his lips in the starlight. Jeongguk kept his focus on the sky, even though he did dip his head to one side, cheek on Sanghyuk's chest as he looked up, up at the sky and took in the darkness that was soon streaked by light, and color.

Sanghyuk could only smile to himself about just how lovely Jeongguk was. He didn't want to come on too strong. "I've seen a lot of things, but the stars and things like this still take my breath away," he murmured, the sentiment the same even if he didn't need to breathe.

"It makes me feel so small," Jeongguk said, smiling. "It's nice. We're so small, Sanghyuk. We're just... A tiny little blip in the universe. It's all ephemeral. And even if you're reincarnated, you're going to have a totally different experience, but you're still going to be so small." 

Jeongguk reached up with one hand as though to touch the sky, but only a little swirl of shimmering black fog came from his fingers, tracing up, and up, and up until it disappeared. Jeongguk felt warm with the knowledge he was giving of himself to the universe at large; what one gave was what one got back, after all. That was one of the rules.

"Do you believe in reincarnation, Sanghyuk?" He turned to look over at him, blinking. "Is that, I mean. Do vampires believe in that kind of thing?"

Sanghyuk's smile as he watched Jeongguk give to the universe was small and warm, and he'd been about to rest his cheek against the young man's hair when he turned. One brow arched at that question.

"Of course. I know a vampire who has, and now he finally gets to be with his Fated." He made a soft sound as he looked to the witch. "His Fated was once revered as a God, millenia ago. But Minho ended up being an immortal, and Taehyun wasn't. But, it all worked out."

"Oh," Jeongguk breathed, looking stricken for a moment. "Oh that's, that's _awful. _I'm... I mean I'm glad, but..." he shook his head, turned to settle a little more against Sanghyuk. "That's wonderful, but so frightening. I guess... I mean a lot of people think that, if you give more to the universe, then you'll be favored in your next life, but I don't think that's true. But maybe it is! Your friends found one another again." 

Jeongguk was aware that he wasn't making much sense so he simply shut his mouth, looking up at the sky and laying against Sanghyuk, He'd been curious about that kind of thing for so long—being Fated, reincarnation, the lives of people who always just missed one another, horror stories of finding out that your fated was dead, or you'd just missed them, or they hadn't reincarnated this cycle. Jeongguk was afraid of such things. They were all so _big. _And he was just so, so small. 

"I wish it worked out for everyone that way."

"I think it does for most people, eventually." Sanghyuk knew that Taekwoon was still hoping for the best, but Jonghyun... Well, he seemed to have given up that hope that the warlock clung to. He shook his head slightly, then tilted his head to tuck his cheek against Jeongguk's hair.

Jeongguk gave a soft, sound little sigh and went with his gut feeling—which was to turn onto his side and tuck himself in a little more against Sanghyuk, who was warm with wine, and comfortable. Their bodies were both broad and tall, but Jeongguk didn't feel like he was swamping Sanghyuk, which was good. He didn't get to feel normal-sized very often.

Sanghyuk gave Jeongguk's shoulders a little squeeze, let his eyes drift closed. He wasn't tired, but he _was_ supremely comfortable, hunger sated with the bloodwine he'd become a bit addicted to. 

Jeongguk came to wakefulness only when a breeze slid up the back of his shirt. He jerked upright with a gasp, glancing around in confusion and whining in displeasure at having being awoken from what had really been a very nice nap. 

"Sanghyuk," he murmured, sure that the other was awake, but worried about the time. "Hyung. Hyung wake up."

"Mm? What is it?" He could tell that the sun would rise... likely before he could get back to Taekwoon's place, but he would manage. "Did you have a nice nap, Jeongguk?"

"Morning," Jeongguk fussed, sitting up and rubbing at his eyes, pouting at the sky. "Fell asleep. Heck." 

He wanted to extend the offer of staying at his place, but wasn't sure how to word it—

So of course it just... Fell out of his mouth. 

"Won't make it to... You should stay." 

...Yeah. _That _was coherent.

Sanghyuk sat up as well, reached out to fix Jeongguk's beanie for him. He seemed to have understood what Jeongguk was trying to get out. "Is there somewhere without any sunlight?" he asked, trying not to let his touch linger.

"Mm, loft," Jeongguk nods, letting his hat be adjusted. "No windows. Sun from downstairs doesn't reach. C'mon." He stood up, stayed close to Sanghyuk as he did so, and when they had everything gathered he held the crystal hanging on his chest to his lips and murmured. 

They _shifted, _moved from one place to another in the same amount of time it would have taken them to get there, but with none of the effort. Jeongguk yawned and bent to take off his boots, squinting as Gwen came up and rubbed herself all over Sanghyuk. 

"Slut," he accused, sleepily.

That was- a strange feeling to be sure. Sanghyuk blinked a few times and reached to toss his blanket onto the couch, chuckled down at Gwen. "I'm an old hand at taking care of all sorts of animals," he explained, and he scritched the spidercat behind the ears before he toed off his comfortable shoes, stepped up onto the main floor. 

"Let's go to bed, mm?"

"Mm," Jeongguk nodded, shedding clothes as he headed upstairs, not bothering with etiquette r manners when his entire body wanted to be back asleep immediately. He muddled his way up into the loft, got down to his underwear (tight red briefs) and crawled under the blankets without even taking his hat off. 

He was asleep almost immediately.

Sanghyuk wanted to stay warm, so he kept his clothes on, but thankfully Jeongguk seemed tired enough not to notice the way his eyes lingered. He quietly cleared his throat, did remove his socks and his belt, at least, and then he eased into the bed next to Jeongguk.

"Cute," he murmured, and he pulled Jeongguk's beanie off, then curled protectively around him. Sleep claimed him as the sun rose, cheek tucked against the space between the witch's shoulderblades.

Jeongguk would sleep for ten thousand years if his alarm didn't go off.

As it was, his alarm went off at noon, a sweet little sigh of notes and he groaned, reaching to turn it off and immediately turning away, toward—

Toward Han Sanghyuk. In his bed. Full dressed, and very asleep. 

Jeongguk took a moment to calm himself, then settled back down. Well. If he was going to keep sleeping, he was going to keep sleeping—and Sanghyuk was warm. And comfortable. And... Jeongguk wiggled a little, just a little closer. And. So there. 

When he woke again, he laid in bed, messed around on his phone, read a little of his book. But he could not be compelled to climb out of his bed—no matter that Jimin had come to the door twice in the last two hours, and texted him five times. 

He was _busy._

Given the shorter days of the season, Sanghyuk woke at around four in the afternoon, and he dragged a hand over his face, knew objectively that he was in Jeongguk's bed, if only because of the scent surrounding him. It was uniquely that of the witch, just as his taste was, even in bloodwine form.

"...hey," he said gently, voice feeling thick in his throat.

"Hey," Jeongguk replied, turning to look at him, putting his phone down on his bare chest to keep the light from blinding Sanghyuk. "Did you sleep okay?" He reached out and tucked back a little lock of hair, smiling at how sleepy and defenseless Sanghyuk looked. What a lie it was, but it was adorable, regardless. 

Jimin's text tone sang out again. Jeongguk ignored it. 

Sanghyuk's eyes slipped closed again at Jeongguk's touch, a gentle sigh escaping him. "I did... mm, that feels nice..."

"Good," Jeongguk breathed, just enjoying the sensation of touching Sanghyuk like this—gently. Jeongguk had never been _abused, _but his parents had been firm with him, and much of his life had been defined by being yanked around by his wrist or shoved from one place to another. He liked to be gentle; he wanted to be gentle and for people to, occasionally, be gentle with him. 

(He had no sex experience, but he had a feeling he might like more exciting things during those activities. He'd never really given himself a chance to explore those options.)

"Go back to sleep," Jeongguk whispered, daring to lean forward and kiss Sanghyuk's forehead—cooler now, than it had been earlier, but still not _cold. _

"But it's dark out," Sanghyuk murmured, arms circling around Jeongguk's form to carefully hug him closer, if only to leech some of his body heat. He mumbled something about the witch smelling nice, ducked his head down to press his face against a somewhat broad chest, though it wasn't anywhere near as broad as his own.

"Do you have somewhere to be?" Jeongguk asked, his cheek in Sanghyuk's hair, now that they were so close. The urge to be close to him was so overwhelming. He smelled like cool evenings, autumn wind and woodsmoke—things Jeongguk loved. He could feel his body heat moving from his body to Sanghyuk's and smiled, shivered a little at his own goosebumps, hated how his nipples got hard with the chill.

"Nn, Taekwoon would let me know if he needed me." The ring also served as a tracker, not that the warlock needed it to know exactly where he was. He nuzzled lightly against Jeongguk's chest, felt the urge to do a bit more than cuddle, but... god. He needed to be careful.

"Okay," Jeongguk said, kissing Sanghyuk's head. "Okay."

His heart was pounding. He knew, intellectually, that Sanghyuk could hear it. Could likely _feel _it, too. He flushed with embarrassment, but didn't move away, instead hiding his face in Sanghyuk's messy hair as though that would make it impossible to detect, somehow.

Sanghyuk could clearly tell that something was making Jeongguk nervous, and that it was likely him, but he didn't much want to pull away, either. "This is nice," he said quietly, hoped he could somehow help calm the witch's heart.

"Yes," Jeongguk replied, smiling into Sanghyuk's hair. "Yes, it is." He ran his hand up and down Sanghyuk's clothed arm, trying very hard not to think about his own nakedness. Near nakedness. Shit. Now he was thinking about it.

Could vampires smell arousal? Was that a thing? He hadn't read enough about it. Namjoon would know. He should ask Namjoon—but his phone was on the bedside table, and that was behind him, and he didn't want to let go of Sanghyuk, no matter _how _embarrassed he was.

Sanghyuk grinned and carefully reeled the expression back in before he peered up at Jeongguk through his hair. "Why are you nervous?" he asked, and his voice was gentle, as blunt as the question was.

"I'm not," Jeongguk said. His cheeks were very, very pink. "I'm not nervous. I promise."

"Shouldn't lie to a vampire," Sanghyuk drawled, but he seemed to let it go, settled back down and closed his eyes. Jeongguk pouted. He pouted a _lot. _

"I just," he started, swallowing, feeling foolish. "I just think you're really handsome. That's all."

"Thank you," Sanghyuk said quietly. "You're quite fetching, yourself."

If Jeongguk's heart had been beating hard before, it was _pounding _now, his cheeks so red they burned. 

He had to let go of Sanghyuk, he _had to, _so he could lay facedown beside him with his face buried in a pillow, his hands clasping the sides of his face to hide his rosy cheeks. He resisted the urge to kick his legs back and forth, but only barely—and he _ignored _the fact that he was getting hard, because Sanghyuk was in his bed, because Sanghyuk thought he was _fetching, _because he was mostly undressed but Sanghyuk was fully dressed and that was just too sexy somehow and—

He made a little distressed noise into his pillow.

"Ah-" Sanghyuk blinked a few times, reached over to lightly touch Jeongguk's shoulder. "...should I leave?" It had been quite a while since he'd been interested in anyone, but he couldn't recall anyone reacting like the witch was.

"No!" Jeongguk yelped, sitting up, not thinking about being self-conscious with his mostly-nakedness, his hard nipples and half-mast erection and messy hair and red cheeks. "No, I'm sorry, I just—you're so, and it's, I'm," he stammered, bending over himself and whining into his hands in a very embarrassed way. "You're just _very _good looking and in my bed and I don't know what to do."

_Gods_, Sanghyuk thought, but Jeongguk was beautiful. He smiled kindly, offered one hand out to him, palm up. "We can do whatever you want, Jeongguk."

"I want to do a lot of things and I have no idea how to do any of them," Jeongguk breathed out in a rush, taking Sanghyuk's hand but still hiding his face against his pillow. "You're so handsome. It's like my brain stopped working."

"We could start with kissing," he suggested as he settled down against Jeongguk's side, giving his fingers a squeeze. "Work from there, take it slow."

Jeongguk looked up, looked at Sanghyuk. He looked so young, bright, and very alive. 

"I'd like that," he said, flushed and beautiful.

Sanghyuk hummed softly, cupped the side of Jeongguk's face in his other hand, thumb brushing just so along his high cheekbone. "May I kiss you, Jeongguk?"

"Please," Jeongguk breathed. His magic sparked and shimmered all around him, excited as he was excited, joyful as he was. Jeongguk didn't know _how _to kiss, but he'd seen it plenty of times, and his instincts would lead him in the right direction—and it was so much... Easier, than he thought. So much more... Just _more._

Sanghyuk was careful as he guided Jeongguk through the kiss, hand never straying from the side of his face- it served as a reminder to keep his fangs, his appetite in check._  
_But should Jeongguk want more, the vampire would happily oblige.

Jeongguk had no idea what he wanted, really, but he knew he wanted it, and he knew it started with him crawling up into Sanghyuk's lap and sitting there in his briefs, his arms around Sanghyuk's neck and shoulders while they kissed, tongues together, teeth and lips. It all felt good, and Jeongguk wasn't one to stop doing things he was enjoying. 

And he was _enjoying. _

What had started as a half-mast erection was now trying to tent his briefs, brushing Sanghyuk's stomach like he was some kind of eager fifteen year old. But Jeongguk had never done this with someone else, and it just felt so good—Sanghyuk's skin, his mouth, his hair trapped in Jeongguk's fingers. 

"Sanghyuk," he breathed when they parted, making a distressed little noise as he spread his thighs wider and pressed more completely against Sanghyuk's body. "I want..." He couldn't articulate. But he hoped his body, his quick breath, would show it.

Sanghyuk was enjoying himself just as much, though without a recent source of fresh, undiluted blood, it wasn't all that obvious. He groaned gently, nipped just so at Jeongguk's lower lip, fangs not yet in play... as amazing as the witch smelled.

"You want some help with that, baby?" he asked, eyes starting to glimmer gold even through the glamour that made him seem human. The shudder that ran through Jeongguk's body was so violent his muscles vibrated, his thighs spreading wider, his hips moving forward to press against Sanghyuk's stomach shamelessly.

"_Yes,_" he moaned, softly, his fingers scratching Sanghyuk's scalp, smoothing over it, scratching, clenching and unclenching in his hair as he tried to figure out what to do with himself aside from the slow, rhythmic roll of his hips. 

"Yes _please._"

"Feels good," Sanghyuk said against the line of Jeongguk's jaw, took an unnecessary breath in order to reel his own desires in. He slipped one hand down the young man's body, tugged his brief's down just enough to free his cock. He smoothed the bit of precum around, kept his grasp somewhat gentle as he began to stroke Jeongguk's length in his lightly callused hold.

Jeongguk gasped—panted, looked down and stared, almost entranced by Sanghyuk's hand on him, moving up and down, firm and slow, pulling down his foreskin, pushing it back up, pulling down. "Oh," he breathed, chest stuttering, fingers clutching at Sanghyuk's neck and shoulder as he got up a little higher on his knees to rock into the touch. "Oh, feels good." He couldn't think of anything else to say, as he looked back up and straight into Sanghyuk's beautiful eyes—seeing them for what they were, with his magic strengthened by his own pleasure, sparkling and crackling around him like tiny, soundless fireworks. He leaned down to kiss Sanghyuk, pressing against him as much as he could when he didn't want to stop thrusting into his hand. 

"More," Jeongguk panted when they parted, his cheeks flushed, eyes dark. "Touch me more, touch me." 

Jeongguk had touched _himself, _of course. He knew what he _wanted _Sanghyuk to do. He just didn't think he could _say _it without dying of embarrassment.

Sanghyuk mouthed at the line of Jeongguk's shoulder, his fangs faint pinpricks against smooth skin. He tightened his grip once there was more precum to make the slide easier, and his free hand danced down and around to tease under the waistband of his briefs, between the cheeks of his round little backside.

"Like this, baby?" Sanghyuk asked as he worked a small bruise into life on the young man's shoulder.

Jeongguk made a desperate little noise, nodding frantically and hiding his face in Sanghyuk's hair. Just the fact that Sanghyuk was touching him, was teasing him, called him _baby _like that as enough to make his blood sing, boil, burn. 

"Yes," he whined. "Yes yes yes please."

Sanghyuk moaned softly against Jeongguk's skin, worked the briefs down further so he could tease his fingers properly against the young man's rim. "You gonna cum for me, baby?" he asked, turned his head to press kisses along the shell of the witch's ear. "Wanna see how pretty you are."

Jeongguk almost sobbed, clinging to Sanghyuk, trying to push forward into his hand and back against his fingers, trying to _think_ around how aroused he was, how good it felt to be touched, how delicious it was to be so close, so close so close—

"In me," he whimpered. "In me in me in me wanna cum like that please please, Sanghyuk please."

And, in a moment of madness,

"Bite me when I cum Sanghyuk, _please_."

Sanghyuk's groaned loudly. He wiggled one finger into Jeongguk as far as he dared, fangs lengthening somewhat in anticipation of the bite, of just how _good_ Jeongguk was going to _taste—_

Jeongguk whined loud and high, jerking his thighs further apart, cocking his pelvis and throwing his head back. He thrust forward, back, forward, fisted his hands into Sanghyuk's hair to hold the vampires face to his throat and came in a hot, hard rush, gasping for air, shaking all over and when Sanghyuk's fangs sunk in. When they pierced his skin he came again, a second hot, wet splatter all over Sanghyuk's shirt, his tip dragging over the wet material as Jeongguk spasmed in overstimulated pleasure. Magic sparked off of him, made his skin shimmer and shine, made his sweat seem opalescent as he clutched the back of Sanghyuk's head and panted.

"Yes," he moaned, still rocking his hips, fucking himself down against Sanghyuk's hand, forward against his shirt. The band of his briefs was a terrible, aching pressure against his balls that just added to his bright, overwhelming pleasure. "Oh goddess yes, _yes_." 

Sanghyuk watched the sight that Jeongguk made as he came. He wanted to commit it to memory, He sank his fangs in, not as deep as he normally would, and he drank a mouthful of blood, savored it like it was the nectar of the gods. He swallowed it after a moment, and lapped the wound closed, cleaned up the blood that had dripped down onto pale skin. He dragged his fingers around from behind the young man, through the mess he'd made to gather some up, and then he sucked his digits clean before pressing them back inside.

"You taste _amazing_," he breathed out.

Jeongguk sobbed weakly, trembling, so overwhelmed by everything that had just happened he didn't know what to do with himself. He stayed upright for as long as he could before slowly toppling over onto his side beside Sanghyuk, still clenching around his finger, still holding on. He didn't want to let go. He didn't want to ever let go, and that in itself was a little terrifying. 

Even more terrifying was the sudden sound of his house wards shattering under the sheer force of Park Jimin's magic—like breaking glass and snapping ropes as Park Jimin, the half-demon son of the Lord of the Second Circle of Hell, burst inside in a state of rage and panic similar to that of an older sibling. 

It was this, and only this, that made Jeongguk sit up, scrabbling for a blanket as Jimin's enhanced senses put together the pieces and his aura turned a violent ruby red, shimmering gold and green like duochrome paint.

"I'm fine!" Jeongguk shrieked "Jimin I'm fine!!"

"Are you?!" Jimin's snarl was fierce. When he appeared at the edge of the loft, at the end of the bed, Jeongguk shifted to be in front of Sanghyuk: a clear message to the demi-demon that Jeongguk was protecting Sanghyuk, and Jimin would not touch him.

Jimin took in the sight with his shining, silver-blue eyes and narrowed his gaze before looking at Jeongguk—sex flushed, still quivering from his orgasm, on his knees with Sanghyuk's finger still inside him beneath the blanket he'd yanked up to cover himself. Sanghyuk had been ready to fight, when he felt the wards fall apart with force, eyes shining gold even through the glamour, not that the glamour could stand up to such demonic power. He looked wide-eyed between Jeongguk and Jimin, afraid to pull his hand away even with the uninvited guest at the foot of the bed.

"You blew out half the neighborhood," Jimin hissed. "I thought you were being murdered. I see that is not the case. We will speak later.' 

And the he was gone, and Jeongguk was relaxing, then gasping when the drop of his weight meant Sanghyuk was pressing directly on his prostate. He fell forward onto his hands, heart pounding. 

"Fuck," he breathed, arching his back, slowly letting himself down to the bed. "Oh, fuck."

Sanghyuk swallowed dryly, licked the last of the witch's blood from his lips, the corners of his mouth. "Sorry," he said quietly. "Do you want me to..." He nodded toward the hand that was pressed close to Jeongguk's rear. He hadn't wanted to cause any trouble for him, rather wanted to slink away and sleep in a cold graveyard for a few hundred years as punishment.

"No," Jeongguk whispered, breathless, laying on his belly. "No, come... Come here." He shifted, whined when it meant Sanghyuk pulled out of him, and reached like a child wanting to be held. Jimin would be placated. Jeongguk would deal with him, but for now he just wanted to kiss Sanghyuk until his lips hurt, wanted to feel his weight between his thighs. 

"Sorry," he mumbled, hugging Sanghyuk when he was close enough. "Should have known he'd panic when I didn't answer."

Sanghyuk gathered Jeongguk into his arms, heedless of the mess his sweater had become. He showered the young man's face with a myriad of kisses, his lips still stained red from the taste of blood he'd had not long before.

"We'll just have to do that somewhere else, next time."

Next time....

Just the thought that there would be a next time warmed Jeongguk all the way through. He smiled, blushed and giggled like a teenager, tucking himself against Sanghyuk and nodding. "Yeah," he agreed. "Sounds good."

"Cute," he murmured against Jeongguk's hair, cradling him close as though he might keep him warm, though the blood was only having minimal effects on him, as far as warmth went. "I can ask hyung for advice."

~

And advice, Taekwoon had given in spades. 

Jeongguk had been a bit starstruck when they met—he was _Jung Taekwoon, _after all—but had very quickly turned pink and flustered when trying to explain what it was they needed the advice for, exactly. Taekwoon had smiled this odd, pretty little smile that made Jeongguk sad, somehow, and given him a bracelet strung with raw quartz beads. _These should absorb most of the energy you're giving off, _he'd said, looking amused. _But I still wouldn't recommend doing anything... Too fun, in a place with too much electrical power. You're short-circuiting the environment because you're giving off too much power in your pleasure._

Jimin, on the other hand, had not been nearly so understanding or amused; at least not at first. He was _furious, _rightfully so, that Jeongguk had not only brought home a _vampire _(_A vampire? Really? You couldn't attract a Lycan or a Werecat, you had to drag home a living corpse?!_) though he was easily placated with the knowledge that Sanghyuk liked and respected Jeongguk, and that Jeongguk still wore the anklet that warded off most evils that it could overpower—things with ill intent. It didn't work on everything, but even Jimin, infernal though he was, had to concede that if Sanghyuk had any ill intentions, the anklet would have seen him off. 

"I just worry about you," Jimin had explained, frustrated, his ramish horns shining black, his eyes silver-blue and burning. "You weren't answering your phone and you're usually attached to it, your wards were locked up tight, all the lightbulbs were exploding—what was I supposed to think was happening?"

Jeongguk had given him the proper amount of coddling and reassurance—the Prince of the Second Circle of Hell eventually calmed, and Jeongguk was left to pursue his... His _relationship _with Sanghyuk in relative peace, aside from the occasional good-natured teasing. 

Jeongguk was waiting for Sanghyuk at that moment—they were meant to go out for the weekend to some place Sanghyuk knew. It would be their first trip away together, and Jeongguk was... In a word? Eager. Not only to get away from the prying eyes of his well-meaning friends (Namjoon had given him a book on the subject of love between species, and Yoongi had practically thrown a box of condoms at his head, saying something about not being certain whether or not vampires could carry STIs but that it was better safe than sorry) and he appreciated it, but...

...But the idea of time alone with Sanghyuk, just the two of them, in a place where Jeongguk wouldn't have to worry about accidentally bursting lightbulbs every time he came? That was a very nice thought, indeed.

Sanghyuk's friend Wonshik owned a little commune out in the... relative middle of nowhere, where every villa had its own generator, though most of the lights and whatnot were powered by magic, enchantments Taekwoon had worked on decades prior. It was a safe place for demihuman couples and magical sorts to 'get away from it all.'

Sanghyuk pulled up in front of Jimin's place and Jeongguk's place behind, sent his boyfriend a message before he got out of the car- a nice, but older model luxury car from Taekwoon's collection. He seemed more broad than the last time they'd seen each other nearly a week prior, though Sanghyuk had been working hard, had perhaps fed a bit much, but he did what the Supreme asked of him. He looked _alive_, but draining the bodies of five adults over the span of three days would do that.

He nervously smoothed a hand over his warm peacoat, a lush sweater under it, paired with snug jeans and comfortable boots. He smiled brightly when he caught sight of Jeongguk, popped the trunk so that his luggage could be safely stashed away. "I missed you," he said as he pressed a kiss to the witch's forehead.

Jeongguk smiled helplessly, holding on to the lapels of Sanghyuk's coat for a moment before tilting his head to kiss him on the mouth. "I missed you too," he said, his now light pink hair held out of his eyes with a beanie, as always. He always looked so _young. _

"Come on, lets go." 

"Mm..." A hand slid down along Jeongguk's side at the kiss, and he let the fingers of his other hand play at those light pink strands. "That color looks really nice on you, baby."

He opened the passenger door for Jeongguk, kissed him again as he was buckling in. then headed around the car again so he could settle comfortably behind the wheel. "It's a bit of a drive, but. Tell me how you've been?" he asked, glancing over to his boyfriend with a happy little smile.

"Busy," Jeongguk admitted, sitting back in the seat. "Jimin's, ah, been having some family problems, so I've been staying in his house for a while. Me and Namjoon. He can't... Be left alone when he's emotional. He might burn the house down by accident." 

Jimin's so-called father had the nerve to show up uninvited earlier in the week. Whatever he'd said had infuriated Jimin enough that it hadn't simply been his ram horns and metallic eyes manifesting out of agitation—it had been his entire demonic form, a sleek, infernal bakeneko with ram horns and a lizards tail, black-red and snarling. It had been frightening, honestly, but Jeongguk didn't want to tell Sanghyuk that. Almost everyone already thought Jimin was a loose canon, ready to kill at any time. Jeongguk didn't have any hope of explaining his best friends deep emotional complexities in a way that made sense. 

"Namjoon is still there, just in case. But he's calmed down a lot. He's not a giant demon cat anymore. He was a housecat when I left. I mean he was still _really mad, _but a lot smaller, anyway."

"Giant cat demon? That does sound like it would keep you busy," he drawled, keeping his attention mostly on the road, but still listening intently to Jeongguk. "I'm glad it was just horns and glowing eyes when I saw him," he said, at least trying to make light of the mildly scary situation about month prior.

"Yeah," Jeongguk laughed. "Yeah, that's his 'I'm getting ready to fuck shit up' face. I still can't believe he thought you were murdering me. Then again he thinks most people are trying to murder me. And most people think _he's_ trying to murder me, so I mean everyone just thinks I'm setting myself up to get murdered. Like I can't take care of myself or something."

"Of course you can take care of yourself," Sanghyuk said with a warm chuckle. "Woonnie hyung doesn't help just anyone out, you know. And he'd mentioned you before, actually. I think he cares about you, in his own way. But even I didn't know what was following you on Halloween, I wanted to make sure you got home okay." He rubbed his thumb lightly over Jeongguk's knuckles, didn't need to use the gear shift much on the long straightaway that made up the bulk of their trek to the destination.

Jeongguk sniffed, held Sanghyuk's hand. "Mmm, what else. Jimin's dad showed up, we're all grateful Yoongi's _mom _didn't show up, Namjoon is still working on that lycanthropy potion for his friend, and..." Jeongguk trailed off. "And I'm, um. Looking into..." he mumbled, his cheeks extremely pink as he stared pointedly out the window.

"...what was that, baby?" Sanghyuk wondered, glancing over to Jeongguk. "I didn't catch it." Which was saying something, given his heightened senses.

"...sex magic," Jeongguk mumbled, so red he resembled a fresh raspberry. "Um. Namjoon gave me—well, when he found out I was seeing you, he gave me some books on channeling sexual energy into something more, more _productive, _I guess, so I don't, you know. Blow lightbulbs and cut the city's power and stuff. It's mostly like. Just having the right crystals in the right place in a room when you're, when you're _doing it _so the energy gets taken in, and Jimin said I should make pendants out of them or something, since they're good for attracting love and good luck and that kind of thing. There's ritualistic stuff too, things that you can burn while you're having sex to open your third eye and that kind of thing, but most of that sounds like an invitation to possession, so I'm just gonna stick with crystals." He hesitated, flushed with his rambling. 

"I mean if that's okay with you. You're there too, I can't just like. Do it myself. I mean I _could, _I can, I have, but it's better with two people, and you can't just do it without asking. That messes up the magic."

Sanghyuk nodded along as Jeongguk spoke, gave his hand encouraging little squeezes every now and then.

"Of course it's okay with me, baby," he said, bringing Jeongguk's mouth up so he could brush a kiss over his knuckles. "I want you to be able to enjoy yourself and not worry, you know?"

Jeongguk groaned in embarrassment, pressing his scarf into his face with one hand. "Aaah that was so embarrassing. Oh god." It took a moment before he could calm down enough to speak again. "Anyway. Yes. I brought... Stuff. For that. Should we decide to do that." 

Have sex, Jeongguk meant. It had been a couple of months, but the irresistible little thread that seemed to be pulling him closer and closer to Sanghyuk had not loosened at all—if anything it had tightened, and he wanted more than ever to simply be closer, to be with him, to be... 

"Thanks," Jeongguk mumbled, holding Sanghyuk's hand to his mouth as he said so. "For not minding that I'm a mess."

"I can be a mess, too," he said, holding Jeongguk's hand to where his heart was, though it didn't beat, the blood he'd feasted on over the past few days moving through his body by magic alone. "So maybe you're just my kind of mess, huh?" He smiled brightly over at his boyfriend.

"But yeah, I wouldn't mind that at all. I think hyung had a hunch, made sure I ate enough, too." 

Jeongguk flushed again but nodded, smiling gently. "Your kind of mess, huh?"

He felt the same little warmth flowing through him as they drove out to the sanctuary—he tried to ignore his excitement, how his breath was heightened and shallow, his heartbeat hard and pounding. He was just—just so _excited. _To be alone with Sanghyuk, to spend time with him where no one else could bother them, he was just so _ready _to be able to show Sanghyuk just how much he liked him, in a physical way. 

Handjobs were great, grinding was great, blowjobs were _amazing, _but Jeongguk... Wanted more than that. So much more.

They got there before long, the wards on the road to their particular cottage accepting both of them- though perhaps it was Taekwoon's ownership of the car made it so easy? Sanghyuk wasn't sure, he couldn't wrap his mind around much magic, even after aiding his hyung for so long. He parked the car in front of the cottage, the windows of which were magicked to keep sunlight out entirely.

With the keys out of the ignition, he leaned over to steal a quick kiss from Jeongguk's lips. "Thank you for coming all the way out here with me, baby."

"Thanks for bringing me," Jeongguk replied, smiling against Sanghyuk's lips. "Come on, lets go look!"

He got out of the car and stretched like he was doing a jumping jack with a huge yawn. But it was too cold to stand outside for long, and after he grabbed his suitcase and duffle he followed Sanghyuk up to the door, eyes wide and curious as he took in the building and the trees around it. It was an amazing set of spells, really. 

"Wow." 

Sanghyuk retrieved his own small bag, and the bag of food he'd brought along though he knew it would be relatively well stocked. Wonshik was forward thinking, in that way. He followed Jeongguk inside, let the door fall closed behind him. Candles lit when they sensed the pair's presence, and he lightly set his bags down to hug his boyfriend from behind. 

"Mm, wow."

"It's so nice," Jeongguk breathed, just taking in the dim fairy lights, the candles, the very aura of the place that spoke of someone with a lot of love to give taking care to make sure that love was properly conveyed. He sighed, leaning back into Sanghyuk and taking his hands, holding them. "Mm, you're so warm." 

It meant Sanghyuk had fed recently, probably quite a bit, but... Jeongguk didn't really mind. Vampires needed to eat, too. And if he got all upset about it when he wouldn't be able to enjoy himself. So he just said a prayer of thanks that Sanghyuk could be with him, warm and fed, and left it at that. 

Sanghyuk hugged Jeongguk to him, pressed a series of kisses to the shell of his ear, the line of his neck even as he laced their fingers together. "I can think of a few ways to warm you up, too..." Should they get acclimated with the space first? Probably. But he was anxious, and he didn't want Jeongguk to have to wait.

Jeongguk blushed, smiled out into the room and turned his head just enough that Sanghyuk's lips were on his cheek. "I'd like that," he said, squeezing Sanghyuk's hands. "Let me, aah..." he looked down, then back up, determined not to be embarrassed. "Let me set up the crystals? Do you want to help?"

"Lemme put the food away real quick, but yes." He kissed Jeongguk's cheek properly, pulled away so he could pick up the rather heavy canvas bag. He found his way into the kitchen, and took the non-refrigerated things out of the bag, which he then just found space for in the fridge. With that done and the boxes of pasta and noodles set on the counter, he returned to his boyfriend's side.

"...okay. What do I do?"

Jeongguk had shed his jacket and was currently settling raw crystals on small pieces of fabric all around the room, keeping one eye on a compass in his left hand. He looked back at Sanghyuk and laughed. "Get undressed?" he offered, setting down a fist-sized piece of rose quartz on the edge of a dresser. He'd already set out red jasper, garnet and orange carnelian (even though technically the carnelian was usually almost exclusively used by female witches; but Jeongguk had been assured by Namjoon that it would work just as well for him. _Gender is a construct, Jeongguk. Besides this is about sensuality, not fertility._)

Jeongguk stood up, the lines of his body clung to by his jeans and his tight sweater. "Or, I mean... Come here, and let _me _undress you."

It would be a lie to say Jeongguk wasn't eager. He was so eager. _So _eager. He was ready for what it meant that Sanghyuk had been fed properly, excited to touch him, really touch him—to feel him, heavy and warm and _hard. _Jeongguk was gay, he liked men's strength, their bodies, their manners—it wasn't that he felt _denied, _just a little selfish—Sanghyuk didn't really get off like Jeongguk did most of the time, so he was excited to... Reciprocate. The way he always wanted to.

Sanghyuk shrugged off his coat and draped it over the back of an armchair, and he straightened up to his full height as he approached, arms held a bit away from his sides so that Jeongguk could undress him more easily. Even without the coat on, he was more broad, more muscular than he'd been a week before, but Taekwoon had long since told him that it was something of a boon, to be able to store so much blood in his system. And now he was going to get the chance to actually _use_ it for something he wanted?

He was already half-hard, from the way Jeongguk was looking at him.

Jeongguk was blushing, but that certainly didn't stop his hands from slipping up and under the sweater to push the fabric up, careful to keep it away from Sanghyuk's face se he pulled it over the other man's head before letting his hands slide down from neck, to shoulders, to chest. Wow. _Wow _Sanghyuk looked amazing. He always looked amazing but he looked _especially _amazing just then, flushed and broad and... 

Jeongguk bit into his bottom lip as he looked down. 

His fingertips traced down Sanghyuk's belly to the button of his jeans and slowly, very slowly, Jeongguk sank down onto his knees. His own sweater was tight-fitted but had a low scoop neck, exposing his clavicles and the tops of his shoulders—it was clearly meant to fit on a girl. He'd tossed his beanie down with his jacket, and he looked up at Sanghyuk through his pink hair as his fingers popped the button on Sanghyuk's fly before dragging down the zipper. 

He was trembling, just a little. With want, with _excitement. _His aura was vibrating, almost humming through the room. 

It was a good thing he'd brought _large _stones, along with several smaller ones placed around them.

Sanghyuk's expression was very clearly one of desire, familiar to Jeongguk, though a bit different since, well...

He moaned aloud when the zipper was undone, shifted his hips from side to side a bit, just enough to coax his hardening length out of his jeans- why would he ever bother wearing underwear? (It was different, with how things looked on his boyfriend.) Gently, he slid the fingers of one hand into Jeongguk's hair, which caused the beanie to slid off of his head, but he gave an encouraging little tug.

"Want you so bad, baby," he murmured.

The noise Jeongguk made in response to that was... Animal. 

One hand wrapped around Sanghyuk's length, held it in his palm. He dipped his head and licked at the tip, shivering, before taking it into his mouth and then swallowing, taking the shaft in, further, more, sliding his hand down to push the jeans away from his grip on Sanghyuk's balls until his lips were touching curls and he couldn't breathe.

Just because Jeongguk hadn't been sucking _Sanghyuk's _dick didn't mean he hadn't been practicing. Because he had. Been practicing.

"Oh _fuck_," Sanghyuk heard himself gasp, and his eyes rolled back, stance widening for balance. His hips kicked forward in spite of himself, and he was quick to murmur an apology, strong hold still exacted on Jeongguk's hair.

"That feels so good, uhn..."

Jeongguk pulled back in order to make a soft moaning sound, then moved back down—staying mostly down, fucking his own gag reflex with the tip of Sanghyuk's cock and being fairly shameless about it. There was saliva running down his chin, his lips were swollen and pink, his eyes watering—but he couldn't seem to stop, didn't want to. One hand reached down into his jeans to stroke himself through his briefs with the lightest of touches—he always liked to be touched through his briefs. The contact was made that much more of a rasp, more gentle. 

(His most intense fantasy to date had been Sanghyuk, fucking him with his briefs on--holding the cloth out of the way as it put pressure on his balls and the band put pressure on his shaft, his tip wet beneath his foreskin. The amount of times he'd imagined _that _particular scenario in the last three weeks—complete with his favorite toy attached to the wall behind himself—was embarrassing.)

He looked up at Sanghyuk, but his vision was blurred with tears from the pressure. He blinked them away and swallowed, trembling.

Sanghyuk moaned out a warning just a few seconds before he threw his head back, came hard enough that his toes curled. It _had_ been centuries since he'd last had sex, and just how shameless Jeongguk was, how _into_ it he was, well... He hadn't stood a chance.

He took a breath he didn't need in an attempt to center himself, carded his fingers soothingly through his boyfriend's hair. "You've been practicing," he said with a slow smile- not accusatory in any way, more thankful than anything else.

Jeongguk had pulled back, and was sucking softly at the top of Sanghyuk's shaft—licking at his slit, swallowing down his... Cum? Whatever it was, it had tasted normal enough, compared to Jeongguk's own semen. He peered up at Sanghyuk and smiled, sliding his lips over the wet skin. "Yeah," he said, bringing his fingers up his own neck, tracing his jaw and lips with them, leaving little trails of shining saliva. "Yeah, I have."

He licked his lips, bit them, grinned like a demon. 

"Wanna see what else I've been practicing?"

Sanghyuk's insides sort of jumped at that question, and he was quick to nod, utterly trusting Jeongguk. He kicked his jeans off the rest of the way, settled down at the foot of the large, low bed. His eyes glowed faintly as he admired his boyfriend, length still hard but now clearly wet with saliva.

Jeongguk grinned, standing up to pull off his clothes. 

He was markless, no tattoos or major scars or incantations in his skin. He was golden, light tan because it was late fall and he wasn't getting enough sun, but he didn't look unhealthy. He shimmied out of his skinnies, tugged his sweater over his head. The only things he had on were his jewelry—the bracelet, anklet, and a necklace Yoongi had given him made of "no diseases rocks" for whatever that meant--and a pair of deliciously form-fitted, brand name baby pink briefs to match his hair. He got up onto the bed, urged Sanghyuk to sit at the head of it. 

When he did, Jeongguk got down on his hands and knees in front of him, facing his legs. Arching his back he reached to pull his briefs down just enough to expose himself and, in the same movement, slide a spit-slick finger into himself with one easy push and a loud, shuddering groan against Sanghyuk's calves.

Even as Jeongguk was undressing, Sanghyuk couldn't keep the dumb grin from his face. "Gods, you're so beautiful," he murmured, and he behaved himself for the time being- didn't reach out to touch until he was against the headboard and Jeongguk was facing away from him. What happened after _that_ made him moan deep in his throat, a low tone that almost wasn't audible at all.

"Scoot forward some," he urged, and he shifted his weight onto his own knees, hands finding Jeongguk's hips, his thumbs holding the band of the briefs out of the way. He laved his tongue against that already slick finger, closed his eyes to groan while working his tongue forward as far as he could.

Jeongguk whimpered, whined and arched his back down toward the bed—frantically pushing a second finger into himself and adjusting his hand so he was just... Holding himself open for that tongue, that _tongue. _He'd never really thought much about... About dirty talk, before, or even about talking during sex at all, really—it just seemed so embarrassing--but with his chest on the bed and Sanghyuk's mouth on his ass, well. 

Embarrassing didn't matter much. 

"Oh gods," he groaned, his free hand fisting up in the blanket, pulling at the seams, straining them. "Oh gods that feels so g-good. Keep, keep—fuck, fucking me like that, your tongue, oh fuck."

The words themselves made him squirm in pleasure just as much as Sanghyuk's mouth on his body did. His cock was _achingly _hard, the wet spot on his briefs only getting larger as the thick cotton soaked up his little bursts of precum.

Another deep moan left Sanghyuk at Jeongguk's words, and his thumbs continued to hold the fabric out of the way while his fingers groped and kneaded at his flesh. tongue thrusting deeply into him. His cock twitched as he imagined himself buried inside his boyfriend's body, and as much as he wanted to keep eating the young man out, he pulled his mouth away after a few moments.

"Did you bring lube, baby?" he asked, biting at the small of Jeongguk's back, fangs still relatively blunt.

Jeongguk arched further with a distressed little keen and nodded, letting go of the blanket to grope at the edge of the bed. 

A small bottle came flying from his suitcase, hitting his bare shoulder and rolling onto the mattress. Jeongguk stretched and twisted and pushed his knees a little further apart to open himself more completely as he laid out on his belly.

He knew what angle he liked to be fucked at. 

"_Please _fuck me," he whispered, whined, reaching back to grip his cheeks in his hands and hold them apart. "Please please please I'm so ready I promise, please." 

(he'd gotten off the night before with his dildo, and only his own saliva for lube. ...and the night before. the the day and night before. basically on an alarmingly frequent basis since he'd met Sanghyuk, actually; and he was more than ready and willing, sliding fingertips into himself, sliding them out again, rocking against nothing.)

"Yes, baby," Sanghyuk crooned, and he slicked two fingers with the lube, did his best to quickly prep Jeongguk without causing any discomfort. Once he had, he slicked his cock as well, and he lined himself up only to slowly ease his hips forward, bending all the more over his boyfriend's form the deeper he went. He nipped at the backs of his shoulders, eyes fluttering closed. "You feel so _good_, baby, fuck..."

Jeongguk felt... Small. 

Jeongguk hadn't felt small since before he'd hit puberty and shot up eighteen inches over three years. 

And Sanghyuk's slow, hard drive forward was enough to make him cum with a startled gasp, jerking forward then back, shaking, squirming and trying to press closer to him, closer, closer, _more. _

His briefs were slick, and his oversensitive cock was trapped in them, and Sanghyuk was on top of him, and—

(and the pulse of power that moved through him made all the stones in the room glow for a moment.)

"_Yes._" he groaned, because he didn't know what else to do, or what else to say. 

Sanghyuk began to leave a hickey between Jeongguk's shoulderblades, took pause to marvel at the power that had emanated from his lover just then.

"So, so good for me, baby," he moaned out, starting a slow, almost ruthless pace of thrusts, hands gripping onto slight hips hard enough to bruise. "So good for your hyung..."

Oh, was that an extra tight clench-and-squirm, just then? Was that Jeongguk burying his face into his shoulder, blushed with shame and excitement and arousal so thick he could choke on it?

"Hyung," he whimpered out, arching his back harder, tighter, trying to lift his pelvis and keep his shoulders on the bed. "Hyung fu—fuck me harder, pl..." He took in a breath, shivered it out and used one hand to reach back and cup a cheek. "Please, hyung."

Oh? Sanghyuk arched a brow at the way Jeongguk squirmed at that, but his boyfriend _calling_ him that made his cock throb. He picked up the pace, began to thrust harder, one hand swatting lightly at the curve of his ass.

"Like that, baby?" He wanted to ensure he was bringing Jeongguk as much pleasure as possible.

The drag of skin inside him—the pull and push, Sanghyuk's hands and thighs and hips—made Jeongguk's head spin as he nodded, panting, fingers curling up in the blankets close to his shoulders, near to his mouth. "Yeah," he breathed, peeking up at Sanghyuk over his shoulder, feeling the the thick shaft of his cock slide in, out. In, out, harder. Faster. The slap to his ass made him jerk. "Harder," he gasped out, and it was unclear what he wanted to be harder. 

"Harder, hyung _harder._" 

"Fuck," Sanghyuk gasped, and he smacked Jeongguk's ass harder, drove his hips forward with more force.

It was honestly a good thing that Jeongguk got him off prior to this, because as it was, he wasn't entirely sure how long he would last. Though he would certainly keep going, for as long as he had blood for. Well... maybe not that long. He didn't want to _completely_ ruin his lover. Yet.

Jeongguk forced himself up onto his fingertips. He bucked back into Sanghyuk, panted for air, dropped to his palms. He finally got up onto his knees, his back to Sanghyuk's chest and reached behind—grabbed the headboard behind Sanghyuk with one hand and Sanghyuk's hip with the other. Sweating, shimmering with power, Jeongguk tipped his head back into Sanghyuk's chest and licked at his neck, biting it. "Touch me," he whined, low and needy. "Touch me touch me I wanna cum again hyung, wanna feel you inside me when I cum." 

It wasn't going to take much. Jeongguk's dick was still aching inside his wet briefs, Sanghyuk's cock was sliding against his prostate, his entire body was thrumming with magic and the crystals around the room were just multiplying that power and giving it back to him in exponentials he wasn't sure his body could handle. 

But he'd find out, wouldn't he?

"Want..." he trailed off, bit into Sanghyuk's throat, riding his hips back against Sanghyuk's length. "Want you to bite me when I cum, hyung. Wanna feel you, then... Then taste you—" his mind was broadcasting, the magic in the room so intense it was nearly visible. Images, thoughts, feelings—Sanghyuk biting him, Sanghyuk holding his mouth open to cum on his tongue, Sanghyuk's teeth biting into the skin of his inner thigh, leaving a mark. Sanghyuk fucking him face-to-face with one hand on his throat, depriving him of air, Sanghyuk biting into his tongue as they came and kissed, blood and sweat and semen and all the while Jeongguk's pretty, breathy little voice _hyung, hyung, hyung. _

Sanghyuk wrapped one arm around Jeongguk's torso to help keep him upright, thrust shallowly while his free hand trailed down, a finger on either side of the bulge in those pretty, if cum-soaked, briefs. "You gonna cum for hyung again, baby?" he asked, head ducking down so he could bite teasingly at the side of his neck, fangs growing sharper still. "Gonna make a bigger mess of yourself?"

"Yeah," Jeongguk nodded frantically, looking down, watching the muscles in his stomach tighten, feeling his thighs shake as Sanghyuk touched him, touched him. "Gonna cum hyung, m'gonna cum, yes, yesyesyes—" Jeongguk's entire body surged forward then jerked back—hand on his ass to spread himself, forcing his weight back, taking Sanghyuk in as far as he could when those fingers ran against his tip and his vision went white and he came in a blind rush, gagging for air, trying to take Sanghyuk deeper, deeper, deeper still without tearing his neck away because he wanted the bite, he wanted it, he wanted it wanted it wanted it wanted it

and the magic in the room was red

and black

and gold

and blinding as an eclipse of the sun.

Sanghyuk clutched Jeongguk to him, eyes clenched closed as he sank his teeth in, took one long, deep drink, licked the wound closed and tried to brace himself against the strength of Jeongguk's magic, the sheer force of will. It almost felt like his skin was burning, though not necessarily in a bad way-

But he was still afraid to speak, to open his eyes, to do much of- anything, save for hold his lover close and hope that he was alright.

Jeongguk was not fully himself, but that did not matter. What mattered was Sanghyuk behind him inside him, still so close to his body, still so warm. Jeongguk wondered if this was how ancient priests felt after possession; wrung out, sweetly sore, still wanting. He shivered, hands weak—one in front of himself to watch his weight before he fell, the other wrapping around Sanghyuk's wrist, sliding down to tangle their fingers.

"You didn't cum, hyung," Jeongguk breathed, as Sanghyuk let him down onto the bed. "You didn't... I wanted..."

Sanghyuk made a somewhat strangled sound when Jeongguk slipped off of his cock. He watched him gape for a moment, then gently turned his lover, smiled down at him, despite still being fully hard, despite the blood still staining his lips.

"I thought you wanted me to cum in your mouth, baby."

Jeongguk made a wretched, passionate noise as he squirmed and nodded, mouth already open, lips pink and wet, tongue waiting. "Uh huh, uh huh," he couldn't think around the desperate want to have Sanghyuk in his throat, cutting off his air, killing him—

—_killing him_

_killin him_

_killi him_

_kill him—_

"Please, please," he craned his neck, tried to shift down so Sanghyuk could straddle his chest and thrust into his mouth.

Sanghyuk thrust into Jeongguk's throat, reached down with one hand to give his prettily bruised neck a little squeeze, too. He wouldn't normally... be so rough, but between his open trust in his lover and the magic all around, _something_ was spurring him on. He came in a rough and sparkling rush, and pulled away with a gasp, touching Jeongguk's mouth, his cheek—

Jeongguk's eyes were open.

Unblinking.

Lifeless.

They were _red_, shone gold and black as Sangyuk tried not to yank himself away and end up injuring himself on his lover's teeth. He fumbled for a thin wrist to check for a pulse.

Nothing.

Panic began to rise in his throat and even if he didn't need air anymore, Sanghyuk remembered what it felt like to drown. He didn't need to breathe, but he nearly hyperventilated as bloody tears rolled down his cheeks.

"No... no—" His voice cracked. He'd never been a senseless killer, had always been careful, only killed for Taekwoon when there was no other choice, and now—

Now he had killed his beloved.

"_Gods_, please..." He bent down, his twisted, bloodied face pressed to Jeongguk's bicep as sobs wracked through his entire form, tightened his grip, bruised Jeongguk's still-warm skin in his desperation. "No..."

The seconds ticked by. Jeongguk did not move, did not breathe. Was dead. 

And then:

His sudden intake of air was so hard he choked on it. His entire body became swathed in red and gold and black—it slithered down his skin, made it shimmer and shine. It left behind little gold and red geometric designs like tattoos that glimmered in the dim light. His hair was shining pink, slightly longer, darker at the roots and soft in his face. His eyes were lined in burgundy and black, his fingernails black and glossy. 

And he opened his eyes. 

His red-black-gold eyes and found Sanghyuk. All the gemstones in the room shattered out in shards as power _exploded_ out of Jeongguk, who reached for Sanghyuk and grabbed at him desperately, panting, terrified and relieved and overjoyed and confused and—

And just so happy to be alive, no matter the circumstances. No matter the discussion he'd just had with a man-shaped being in a large red throne that had lasted hours and yet also, somehow, only fifty seconds. Fifty seconds too long. He'd had to die for the conversation to take place. It hadn't mattered much how or where: he'd died. The man-shaped thing on the throne had made sure Sanghyuk would kill him.

"I'm okay," he panted, sobbed, clinging to Sanghyuk, desperate to reassure him. "I'm okay, I'm here, it's okay, Sanghyuk, oh please don't cry, please," but Jeongguk was crying too, thin opaque lines of tar down his cheeks. 

"I'm right here hyung, I'm okay, it's okay."

"Wh-" Sanghyuk choked, and he looked up to Jeongguk, who had _changed, _but it was still... it was more like he was truly _himself_. Not that Sanghyuk would quite ever be able to put it into words. His face was a mess of smeared, bloody tears, but he gathered his lover into his arms and clutched him as close as he dared, suddenly afraid of his own strength.

"Oh, Jeongguk..."

"Tighter," Jeongguk breathed, raking his nails through Sanghyuks hair. "I can take it, hyung please I just _died_ and _Lucifer_ was there—" Jeongguk cried a little. Mostly from stress, now.

Sanghyuk gave another sob, and he buried his face against Jeongguk's neck and wept, hugged him more fiercely. The guilt of such a thing—that he'd _killed Jeongguk_ still weighed on him, but he needed to get himself together, to be a rock for the young man, even if he hated himself in that moment.

"Wh.... what?" he croaked after a few seconds. 

"He said," Jeongguk hiccuped out. "He said I, I had to die, he said Jimin was, keeping me from—I had to die and he—he made sure you'd—"

To be fair, the Lucifer had seemed upset about that, as well. Apparently he'd been trying to kill Jeongguk since his 20th birthday, but the protection of others, and his own uncanny luck, had prevented it. When Jeongguk had started wailing about Sanghyuk, the Lucifer had seemed... Properly chastised. Apologetic. He'd let Jeongguk come back without finishing his explanations, he'd felt so guilty. Promised to leave them to Jimin.

Jeongguk wasn't weeping anymore, but he was still quietly crying, and he just.. Wanted to hold on to Sanghyuk and hold him and be with him for as long as he could stand it. One thing stuck out in his mind, though. 

_'You are immortal now, child. Tell your lover, he no longer has to watch his bite. He will taste it, when you feed him.'_

Feed him, like Jeongguk... was going to feed Sanghyuk forever. That was the... The feeling he had, in his belly. That they belonged to each other. Forever.

"Shh, shh..." Sanghyuk rocked back and forth with Jeongguk in his lap, now that he'd managed to get himself under control. His hands rubbed slowly over his lover's back, as soothing as he could possibly be, given the state they were both in.

"What, praytell, did the Lucifer make sure I'd do?"

Kill his Fated? Sanghyuk rather thought he'd be traumatized until the end of his life about that.

"I had to die," Jeongguk whispered, kissing Sanghyuk's cheeks, his jaw, his lips. "He made sure someone would kill me while I was... Away from Jimin. But you're the only one here, hyung," he whispered. His voice wobbled, then fell into a little sob. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry I scared you, it's his fault, I'm sorry!"

It wasn't lost on Jeongguk, how upset and scared Sanghyuk was. He knew. Could see and feel it with more accuracy than a sphere of quartz could ever give him. Perks of being one of the antichrists.

"I'm just- so mad at myself—" Sanghyuk sighed shakily, tucked his cheek to Jeongguk's chest, needed to _hear_ his heart beating. "I never wanted to hurt you like that, I- I—" He squinted his eyes closed, feeling _weak_ for the first time since he'd been turned. He'd known in his gut that Jeongguk was his Fated, but- surely the witch deserved someone... someone _more_.

"I love you," Jeongguk said, suddenly. It fell out of him like a little globe of light that had been burning his throat since they met. "I mean it. I do. I'm scared, but.. Sanghyuk. I'm... I'm glad it was you. I'm so sorry, but I'm glad it was you."

Sanghyuk could only clutch Jeongguk closer still, eyes screwed closed. He only forced them open again when the memory of his lover's lifeless face became too much.

"I love you," he whispered reverently. He'd known it since he'd seen Jeongguk across the street on Halloween, that they were meant to be together: that there was something special between them, though he'd been hesitant to give it a name when Jeongguk was a mortal, witch or not. Though... Apparently that was not the case. But he couldn't think about any of that right then. Not when the memory of Jeongguk's dead body still made his muscles rigid with fear.

"I'm right here," Jeongguk said, holding Sanghyuk's hand over his heart and bending to press lips to his fingers, then his cheeks. "I'm right here, hyung. I'm here." Jeongguk petted Sanghyuk's hair, kissed him, urged him down into the bed with him, all thoughts of... Anything else forgotten. The blankets were warm, and Sanghyuk's body was warm, and Jeongguk wanted to protect him. He could only imagine—if he'd been the one to kill Sanghyuk, he would have...

He didn't want to think about it.

“Sleep,” he urged, despite the darkness. “Sleep, my love, please.” So he did; and Jeongguk slept tucked in close beside him, and neither of them woke until the sun had long since fallen below the horizon line.

**Author's Note:**

> told you, he got better!


End file.
